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Wonder

Auggie is a very special little boy. Born with a genetic condition called Treacher Collins syndrome, Auggie’s facial deformities are the least threatening of the complications but they’re what make him look so different. He’s most comfortable when he’s wearing an astronaut helmet that keep prying eyes and hurtful comments at bay. For the first ten years of his life he’s had countless surgeries and has been schooled at home, but he’s about to start middle school for real, and a classroom of students is more daunting to him (and his mom) than any operating room.

Wonder is based on the wonderful YA novel by R.J. Palacio, which you should, should, should definitely, definitely read. But happily, this is a rare case where the movie does the book justice. And even happilier, the movie doesn’t suck, period, which was a major concern of mine. It seemed far too easy to just let it coast on its sentimentality. But while director Stephen Chbosky doesn’t have a lengthy track record to ease my worrisome nature, he does have one credit under his belt that’s all I really needed to hear: he adapted and directed The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which he’d also penned.

Wonder is a much different beast, however. First, it necessarily involves casting the perfect but very young star. A bad child actor in a lead role will ruin the whole thing, and in this case you have to find someone who can convey a whole range of complicated emotions from underneath a mask of scars. Chbosky went with Jacob Tremblay who’s already proven his chops with the most trying and powerful of roles in Room; Chbosky calls him “a once-in-a-generation talent” and I think he may be right. But we can’t discount the fact that Chbosky surrounds Tremblay with talent.

The secret to Wonder’s success, both in novel and in film, is that yes, it tells the story from the perspective of a sweet and brave 10 year old boy who’s been through hell and is still going through it. BUT it also shares the stories of the people around him. His mother Isabel (Julia Roberts) has had to pause life itself in order to become his warrior. His father Nate (Owen Wilson) copes with humour and cries by himself. His big sister Via (Izabela Vidovic) feels like a mere planet revolving around Auggie, the sun. A disease like Auggie’s is a family affair, energy-stealing, all-encompassing, leaving no one unaffected. And no one likes to complain about that because it seems petty in the face of something life-threatening, but it’s true and Palacio’s book as well as Chbosky’s film really add legitimacy to a family suffering as a unit. Even Auggie’s only friend is untouched – being his friend is a social sacrifice most 10 year olds won’t be strong enough to make. Another formidable young actor, Suburbicon‘s Noah Jupe, lands and aces this role.

Wonder is not about the suffering though; that would be too easy. It’s about overcoming that suffering, in ways that are clunky and ungraceful and sometimes accidental. That’s why Auggie’s family seems so real, and why so many real families with sick kids can relate to the material. It’s emotionally raw stuff and you may find that it touches a nerve. But it’s got a takeaway message of positivity that’s irresistible, and will help justify the numerous soggy kleenexes in your lap.

Saw this yesterday and they were giving away free kleenex boxes at the entrance to the film. I found it powerful but not overly cry-crazy (I cried the hardest when the dog died, mostly because of all the loss Auggie had to deal with death is always the most sad for kids.) I liked how they showed the perspective of others and how they too were impacted as you note. Glad I watched it.

Good review you nailed it. The one concern I had was that they were going to over use the “you’re not ugly” trope. When I walked in I had the betting line at 3.5 for the number of times they would proclaim he is not ugly. I counted and Julia Roberts said it twice and she is his mother so that was a very genuine scene. I liked it for all the reasons you did, the terrific cast,the viewpoint of the family the genuineness of the story telling. Found it odd he had two left handed parents and neither he nor his sister are left handed. I am left handed I notice this stuff but overall I give it a 7.5 out of ten.

I love the ones where you hang shit on films you didn’t enjoy in so many clever ways. But I might just like the reviews of the films you love even more. Didn’t know it was directed by Wallflower helmer, that is one of my favourite films of the past 10 years so will have to check this out.

“Wonder is not about the suffering though; that would be too easy. It’s about overcoming that suffering, in ways that are clunky and ungraceful and sometimes accidental.” – Jay, you know you should write a novel, don’t you?

I went and saw this film with a friend, and honestly, it’s so beautiful and sweet. Auggie is a sweetheart, and his story proves that being kind isn’t hard. I’m reading the book now, because I loved it 🙂 xox